Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 1.

[591] and Fifth Divisions of his army “to advance to the attack of Fairfax Court House by way of the Old Braddock Road,” “after the fall of Centreville.” ¹

McDowell issued specific orders on the 20th,

July, 1861.

for the advance and method of attack by the three divisions chosen for the work. The troops were supplied with three days rations. The columns were to move at about two o'clock in the morning of Sunday, the 21st. Tyler was to be in position at four o'clock, or daybreak, to menace the Confederate left at the Stone Bridge, while the real attack was to be made by Hunter and Heintzelman, about two hours later. Every thing was in readiness by midnight. The camp-fires of forty regiments were burning dimly all around Centreville. The full moon was shining brightly. The air was fresh and still. Never was there a midnight more calm and beautiful; never did a Sabbath morning approach with gentler aspect on the face of nature.

McDowell, fearful of unforeseen obstacles, proposed to make a part of the march toward Bull's Run on the evening of the 20th, but he was, unfortunately, overruled by the opinions of others. He was satisfied that Beauregard's army, on the 19th, was inferior to his own; and he had no information of his having been re-enforced. He believed Patterson was holding Johnston at Winchester;² and whilst he felt extremely anxious under the weight of responsibility laid upon him, he did not permit himself to entertain a doubt of his success, if his orders as to time and place should be promptly executed.

But important circumstances, of which McDowell was ignorant, had occurred. When he advanced to Fairfax Court House on the 17th, Beauregard informed the Confederate War Department of the fact, and orders were immediately telegraphed to Johnston for the Army of the Shenandoah to join that of the Potomac at Manassas at once. Johnston received the dispatch at one o'clock on the morning

Joseph E. Johnston.

of the 18th. It was necessary to fight and defeat General Patterson or to elude him. The latter was accomplished, and Johnston, with six thousand infantry, reached Manassas Junction at about noon on the 20th. His whole army, excepting about two thousand of his sick and a guard of militia, who had been left at Winchester, had marched by the way of Millwood through Ashby's Gap to Piedmont,³ whence the infantry were conveyed by railway, while the cavalry and artillery, because of a lack of rolling stock⁴ on the road, were compelled to continue their march as before. Johnston's six thousand made Beauregard's army stronger